An ambitious triple threat who went from dancer to top shelf actress to best-selling recording artist, Jennifer Lopez was able to maintain a high level of publicity throughout a majority of her career, even when negative press managed to enter her orbit. After getting her start as a "Fly Girl" on the hit variety series "In Living Color" (Fox, 1990-94), Lopez broke through with a strong leading...

For some performers, winning an Oscar became both a blessing and a curse. While an Academy Award could lead to bigger and better roles, it could also bring about career stagnation, as the actor tried to live up to unrealistic expectations. Actress Marisa Tomei was in danger of failing to warrant the hype after seemingly coming out of nowhere to nab Best Supporting Actress for her comical...

Dubbed "the next Miley Cyrus" in 2008, singer and actress Selena Gomez vaulted to the top of tween stardom thanks to her starring role as a New York teenager with magical powers on the hit Disney Channel series, "Wizards of Waverly Place" (2007-2012). While fame came at a young age, Gomez had already been working in the entertainment business for several years, having started her acting career at...

Unlike the chart-toppers who graduated from "American Idol" (Fox, 2002- ) or the bubblegum pop stars groomed by the Disney Channel, Justin Bieber's talent and wholesome appeal was purely homemade. The Canadian singer became a worldwide sensation after teen girls discovered videos he had posted on YouTube.com where he performed pop and R&B cover songs. Singer and songwriter Usher took Bieber...

Few of the 21st century class of teen actors enjoyed as meteoric a rise as Shia LaBeouf, who was elevated from kid TV star to bankable movie lead in such Hollywood blockbusters as "Transformers" (2007) and "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (2008). Though an Emmy winner for his performance as an excitable grade schooler on the Disney sitcom "Even Stevens" (The Disney Channel...

Unlike many of Hollywood's <i>GQ</i>-esque, A-list types, comedy actor-writer Seth Rogen, with curly locks and Yogi Bear physique, was instantly embraced by audiences for his common-man appeal. While paying his initial dues working on a variety of TV sitcoms, he fell under the tutelage of producer-writer-director Judd Apatow. Under Apatow's brilliant guidance, Rogen's...

In the mid-2000s, when gossip stories about twenty-something actresses behaving badly dominated headlines, Scarlett Johansson was nowhere to be found. Johansson was certainly one of the most respected actresses of her generation, having made an impact in a number of roles as intriguing young muses to older men in crisis, but she preferred to limit her dramatic behavior to movie screens. For her...

Despite not having any professional training, Jennifer Lawrence became one of Hollywood's most sought after and respected young actresses within five years of beginning her career. After a fairly typical start on television as a cast member of the family sitcom "The Bill Engvall Show" (TBS, 2007-09), she began to show surprising depth with performances in harrowing dramas like "The Poker House"...

Tall, muscular and exceptionally handsome, Australian actor Chris Hemsworth became a star in the U. S. with a series of well-received genre films. He was a household name in his native country while starring on the popular drama series, "Home and Away" (7 Network, 1988- ), playing an opinionated student navigating his way through high school in a seaside town. He quickly became a sci-fi sensation...

The tragedy of actor Wesley Snipes' career was due not to the fact that he was sentenced to three years of jail time for tax evasion in 2008, but rather because it overshadowed a prolific decade of work in which he proved himself to be among the most versatile and popular leading men in Hollywood. Though his athletic prowess made him an ideal action hero in films like "Blade" (1997) and its two...

A statuesque actress who flaunted a "bad girl" attitude both on and off the screen, Megan Fox was one of the more popular performers of the new millennium, thanks to roles as spunky girlfriends in features like "Transformers" (2007), provocative layouts in men's magazines, and a much buzzed about romance with "Beverly Hills, 90210" star Brian Austin Green. After a successful stint as a model, Fox...

Robert Redford's all-American blond good looks and subtle, sardonic sense of humor made him one of the most popular leading men of the late 1960s into the 1970s in features like "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969), "The Sting" (1973) and "All the President's Men" (1976). Along with his peers Warren Beatty and Paul Newman, he was one of the rare movie icons who could balance being both a...

Openly gay 'Generation X' filmmaker Andrew Fleming acquired a reputation as a wunderkind shortly after leaving New York University's prestigious film school. The last of his three award-winning student films there, "P.P.T.", earned him a fellowship at Warner Bros., and he teamed with no less a producer than Gale Ann Hurd ("Terminator" 1984; "Aliens" 1986) for his feature directing and writing...

Actor, writer and director Ben Affleck hit the Hollywood radar in 1997 as the co-writer and co-star of "Good Will Hunting," earning an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay along with childhood best friend Matt Damon. In fact, the seemingly overnight ascent to stardom in tandem with Damon became one of the great "Hollywood" stories" of all time - rivaling Lana Turner being discovered at Schwab's...

Initially touted as one of Hollywood's most promising starlets, actress Sean Young experienced a precipitous fall from grace within a decade of making her film debut. A former model and dancer, Young made an early splash in popular films like the Bill Murray comedy "Stripes" (1981) and the futuristic noir "Blade Runner" (1982), opposite Harrison Ford. Although not every project would yield a hit -...

At first blush, Kim Kardashian seemed indistinguishable from any of the twenty-something actresses, models and socialites whose faces littered the pages of gossip magazines and web sites in the early millennium. Like so many of them, she had access to fabulous wealth, male companions of varying celebrity pedigrees, her own reality series and an uncanny ability to appear wherever the paparazzi were...

The daughter of Oscar-nominated actor Eric Roberts and the niece of "America's Sweetheart," Julia Roberts, youthful actress Emma Roberts seemed almost destined by blood to go into the family business. Her first professional claim to fame, however, came on the small screen for her role as junior high school student Allie Singer on the popular children's television series "Unfabulous" (Nickelodeon...

A laid-back actor who stood out from Hollywood for his down-to-earth charm and fun-loving lifestyle, Matthew McConaughey was the exact opposite of his image behind the scenes and used his strong work ethic to carve out a vibrant career marked with a number of quality performances. McConaughey made his first impression early on as an older guy who hangs out with high school kids in Richard...

Ever since making her impressive feature debut in the acclaimed "Heavenly Creatures" (1994), actress Kate Winslet amassed a résumé full of exquisite performances of which most of her contemporaries could have only dreamed. In fact, by the time she was only 22, Winslet broke the record for being the youngest actress to have received two Academy Award nominations - the first for her...

Intelligent, sometimes with a stern aura, yet attractive, warm and inviting, Michael Learned was a stage actress virtually unknown to TV viewers when she was cast as Olivia Walton, mother of John-Boy and the others, in the long-running CBS series "The Waltons" (1972-81). Assuming the role that Patricia Neal had originated in a TV-movie special, Learned was so unknown that she was originally billed...

When it came time to locate the proper actress for the coveted role of identical twins in a remake of Disney's Hayley Mills classic "The Parent Trap" (1961), an exhaustive casting search occurred around the world. After three callbacks and one screen test, freckle-faced Long Islander Lindsay Lohan won the role. Although just 11 years old when cast, it would be her affiliation with Disney that...

Taylor Swift sang about the joy and pain of adolescence on her way to becoming an international pop phenomenon. Her crossover success from country music darling to pop culture superstar happened seemingly happened overnight, yet Swift's prodigious natural talent, honest songwriting and cheerfully free spirit gave her staying power on the charts. Her sophomore album <i>Fearless</i>...

Penélope Cruz burst onto the scene in her native Spain in the early 1990s and quickly established herself as a talent to be reckoned with. A longtime critical darling on the international film circuit, Cruz was a favorite creative muse of famed Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar, who cast the actress in some of his most acclaimed features, including "Live Flesh" (1997) and "All About My...

An exceptionally poised young film actress with a knack for challenging roles as troubled adolescents, Kristen Stewart got her big break playing Jodie Foster's daughter in David Fincher's hot-wired thriller, "Panic Room" (2002). As the teen's profile rose over the following years, Stewart consistently impressed audiences and critics alike with her realistic performances and her choice of projects...

International pop culture phenomenon Miley Cyrus rocketed to fame almost instantly after being added to the Disney Channel's stable of wholesome teenage entertainers in 2006. As "Hannah Montana" (2006-2010), Cyrus won over tween audiences by playing a perky and charming middle-school student who happens to lead a secret double life as a pop singer. While the premise was the definition of hokey TV...

Actress Anne Hathaway had a wholesome start in Hollywood, establishing her strong screen presence with breakout roles in family fare "The Princess Diaries" (2001) and "Ella Enchanted" (2004), while many of her peers were getting far more attention for their rehab and party antics. But the well-grounded, well-educated Hathaway held focus on her career, evolving into impressively three-dimensional...

After an impressive early appearance as a straight-talking sex kitten in the Coen Brothers' "The Big Lebowski" (1998), followed by a prominent role in the megahit teen comedy "American Pie" (1999), appealing young actress Tara Reid seemed poised for a robust career in Hollywood - that is, before questionable professional and personal choices quickly relegated her to tabloid fodder status. After...

An overnight action-film sensation who intrigued audiences when he seemingly emerged from nowhere in the summer of 2001, Vin Diesel actually made his first mark on the movie business as a filmmaker. His first two independent films screened at the Cannes and Sundance Film Festivals after which the hulking, clean-shaven actor had a breakthrough role as imposing antihero Riddick in the cult-favorite...

Johnny Depp spent a decade on the fringes of Hollywood as a favorite of independent directors like Tim Burton and Lasse Hallstrom, until his unbridled originality and penchant for extreme characterizations found a worldwide audience with "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" (2003). Throughout the 1990s the actor built a strong critical and art house following portraying...

Famous for playing the role of Hermione Granger in all eight adaptations of the "Harry Potter" film series, actress Emma Watson was one of those rare actresses who enjoyed a balanced, normal life despite being one of the most recognized and highest-earning stars of the franchise. Her meteoric rise to fame was nothing short of magical. With virtually no professional acting experience, the...

With an intense and exotic beauty that both helped and hindered her career, Jessica Alba was a polarizing figure for fans and critics alike. Graduating from early TV roles on "The Secret World of Alex Mack" (Nickelodeon, 1994-98) and "The New Adventures of Flipper" (syndicated, 1994-2000) to the lead in James Cameron's futuristic sci-fi drama, "Dark Angel" (FOX, 2000-02), Alba enjoyed widespread...

In a career that spanned over half a century, actor-director Clint Eastwood managed to become both a top box office draw and an Oscar-winning director, while managing to shrug off the trappings of Hollywood. Never one to worry about critical or audience reception, Eastwood amassed a staggeringly impressive body of work both in front of and behind the camera, while at the same time starring in two...

Almost in spite of his inauspicious beginnings, actor and perennial nice guy Tom Hanks rose from the star of the cult comedy series "Bosom Buddies" (ABC, 1980-82) to become a respected Academy Award-winning actor and Emmy-winning producer. Though it took almost a decade to rise from the depths, Hanks made his name with a touching performance in "Big" (1988), opening the doors to eventual...

With her baby doll sexuality and infectious dance tracks, Britney Spears became the definitive pop princess of the late 1990s, ushering in a new era of bubble gum music for an entire generation of young fans. Pretty, talented and incubated on performance hothouses like "Star Search" (CBS, 1983-2004) and "The Mickey Mouse Club" (The Disney Channel, 1989-1994), Spears was groomed for fame from her...

Though haunted by cries of nepotism early in his career thanks to being born the nephew of Francis Ford Coppola and Talia Shire, actor Nicolas Cage managed to strike out on his own based on the strength of his fearless and often over-the-top performances while becoming one of Hollywood's highest paying stars. After landing his first leading role in "Valley Girl" (1983), Cage was featured in a pair...

Ever since her breakthrough performance as a wide-eyed drug addict in "Drugstore Cowboy" (1989), actress Heather Graham had a hit-or-miss career that was punctuated with several winning performances amidst an equal amount of duds. She spent nearly the next 10 years looking to fulfill the early promise of "Drugstore." But instead, she lagged in better-forgotten films like "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk...

Grammy-winning recording artist and actor Justin Timberlake more or less grew up in the spotlight. Making his screen debut before he was even old enough to shave, Timberlake was a cast member of the early 1990s revamp of "The Mickey Mouse Club" (The Disney Channel, 1989-1994). From there, he gained international fame as Britney Spears' boyfriend and the front man for the phenomenally popular boy...

During the 1990s, actor James Franco broke out as one of the era's go-to guys by playing sports heroes, disaffected pretty boys and rebellious burnouts with equal appeal. His career began in the brilliant-but-canceled television comedy series "Freaks and Geeks" (NBC, 1999-2000), and while Franco's portrayal of a moody dreamboat on the series won him a legion of love-struck teenage fans, it was his...

The biggest star in the world for decades, Tom Cruise stood atop the Hollywood pecking order thanks to his charisma, movie star looks, and consistent box office success. Beginning with "Risky Business" (1983), he became the industry's biggest draw in the wake of the blockbuster "Top Gun" (1986). Following a compelling turn opposite Paul Newman in "The Color of Money" (1986), Cruise continued to...

A strikingly beautiful African-American actress with distinctive green eyes, Stacey Dash rose from TV roles, including a memorable spot on "The Cosby Show" (NBC, 1984-1992), to film, including the female lead of "Mo' Money" (1992) and a supporting turn as a soldier/student in "Renaissance Man" (1994). She achieved global stardom as Alicia Silverstone's glamorous second banana Dionne in Amy...

The great-granddaughter of famed hotelier Conrad Hilton and co-heir to the Hilton fortune, socialite Paris Hilton stridently endeavored to make her own mark in the world - and for the most part, succeeded. Alongside her younger sister, Nicky, Paris Hilton became one of the first media-dubbed "celebutantes" - a term used to describe a growing trend of young, attractive party girl...

One of the better-known survivors of teen stardom, actor Rob Lowe managed to put his heartthrob status behind him as well as survive a sex tape scandal that might have ended a less charming actor's career. Lowe made his initial impact in teen-oriented movies, flashing his toothpaste commercial smile and essaying a sort of untrustworthy charm in "The Outsiders" (1983) and "St. Elmo's Fire" (1985)...

A superstar in her native India and around the globe, as well as one of the entertainment industry's most acclaimed beauties, Aishwayra Rai was a former model whose ethereal looks were matched by an apparently limitless grasp of drama, comedy, musicals and action films in her native country. A former model, Rai began her acting career in ornamental roles in light comedies and musicals before...

An important figure in Indian film and television since the early 1990s, actor Irrfan Khan brought complexity and depth to lead and supporting roles in Bollywood films like "The Warrior" (2001), "Rog" (2005) and "Billu" (2007) before making the leap to Western entertainment with memorable supporting roles in "A Mighty Heart" (2007), "Slumdog Millionaire" (2008) and the HBO series "In Treatment"...

Actor Jonah Hill went from providing comic relief as a supporting player to becoming a major creative force within a few short years. After a brief debut in David O. Russell's philosophical comedy "I Heart Huckabees" (2004), the aspiring actor went on to a handful of minor performances until his star began its rapid ascension three years later. Suddenly, he was working with the likes of Steve...

A gifted and rather complicated performer who became one of the biggest stars in the world, only to be ostracized for racist comments and anger issues, actor-director Mel Gibson rode the wave of his 20-plus years of popularity to become one of the industry's most bankable stars. After finding fame in Australia with only his second film, "Mad Max" (1979), Gibson vaulted onto the international scene...

A one-woman multi-media empire simultaneously embraced as a relatable "friend" figure by millions of loyal fans, Oprah Winfrey's business acumen and personal accessibility made her one of the most powerful and beloved figures in America. Winfrey's daytime television staple "The Oprah Winfrey Show" (syndicated, 1986-) was the number one daytime talk show for over 20 years, and positioned Winfrey as...